Another Illegal Labour Donation?
If what the Conservatives are claiming is true, then yes:
Although union members can opt out of paying a political levy, research by the Tories has found that few organisations advertise the fact.
For example, the Transport and General Workers’ Union, Unity and the general union GMB - all affiliated to Labour - fail to mention on application forms that members can opt out of the political levy and that this would cut their fees.
The Tories claim that this is akin to a shop duping a customer into buying an unwanted warranty and amounts to a breach of consumer protection legislation. (The Times)
The paying of a political levy should really be an opt in rather than opt out system anyway, since it costs them extra money and is going to finance a political party which may or may not represent the beliefs of the individual involved. Since the trade unions have a vested interest in getting their members to pay the levy in order to give them power over the Labour party, they are unlikely to make any opt out system as clear or easy as it should be - as is evidenced by this Tory claim - but the opposite would be true with an opt in system.
What is interesting is that the Times also has an article on the completely legal donations made to the Conservatives by a “Vegas casino billionaire” who both resides in London and made his £70,000 worth of donations over three years - a minuscule amount compared to the millions of pounds a year that the trade unions bankroll Labour - through his UK limited companies.
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